Criteria for the
Accreditation of
MBA Programmes
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INTRODUCTION
Framework & Eligibility
1.1
This document sets out the criteria for MBA programme
accreditation. While setting the standards that accredited
provision is expected to meet, these criteria are not
intended to be so prescriptive as to stifle innovation or to
preclude other measures by which quality may be assessed.
1.2
At the core of the accreditation scheme is full recognition
of the autonomy of individual degree awarding institutions
to offer MBA programmes and of the need for individuals
and employers to have an internationally recognised
accreditation process based on external and peer review of
MBA provision.
1.3
Accreditation assesses the current standards of postgraduate
management education offered at an institution while
promoting a developmental philosophy and a commitment
to continual improvement. Institutions gaining
accreditation are expected to maintain and demonstrate
this commitment to regular improvement within their own
programmes over the duration of each accreditation period.
1.4 Assessors will base their judgement on the overall context
of the MBA provision under assessment, taking into account
the quality of the institution offering the MBA.
offered on the specific programmes, and partner
institutions with unaccredited MBA provision will be
expected to apply for accreditation within the current
review cycle of the multi-centre programme. The awarding
institution must assume full responsibility for the quality of
collaborative delivery.
1.9
Where an MBA programme is to be awarded jointly by
more than one institution, one (accredited) institution is
to be designated the lead provider and will be responsible
for what is delivered by the partner institution(s). This also
applies to programmes which allow students to undertake
exchanges or modules delivered by other institutions.
1.10Programmes that are ‘franchised’ to another institution
or institutions come within the portfolio and will require
separate assessment and this should be sought jointly by
the institutions involved. The franchising institution will
need to provide evidence that the quality of the franchised
programme meets the accreditation criteria. There should
be clear evidence that the franchiser is regularly monitoring
the performance of the franchisee. The term ‘franchise’ is
used to include any contractual agreement whereby
a significant proportion of the teaching delivery and/
or assessment of a programme awarded by one institution
is carried out by one or more other institutions.
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THE INSTITUTION
1.5
Where an institution offers the MBA designation for a
programme which is recognisably functional, or specialist
in nature, the institution is expected to provide an explicit
rationale for the MBA designation.
1.6
An institution must have been graduating MBA students
for a minimum of three years. As an assurance of continuity
and sustainability of quality provision, an institution and
its MBA provision will have conformed to the majority of
the Association’s criteria for a minimum period of three
years prior to assessment.
1.7
An institution’s MBA provision in its entirety must be tabled
for assessment and be judged to meet the accreditation
criteria. Programmes offered at multiple campuses should
each undergo an on-site assessment to ensure the
equivalence of experience for students at each site.
Collaborative Provision
1.8
Portfolio assessment will include all programmes delivered
at the institution, outreach programmes, franchises, and
programmes delivered in conjunction with partner
institutions. All institutions involved in the delivery of
collaborative provision should expect an on-site assessment
visit to assess the quality and equivalence of experience
(v)
2.1 The assessment of MBA provision will take account of the
institution offering the programmes. The institution will
have:
(i) an appropriate mission, explicitly expressed and
regularly reviewed, which reflects its key strengths;
(ii) a well-defined, credible and coherent strategy,
realistically reflecting its resources and constraints as
well as its stated mission;
(iii)
well defined and implemented policies of governance
and continuous improvement, with members of the
corporate community participating in the development
of these policies; (iv) market legitimacy, secured financial viability and
institutional continuity;
a discrete identity and an appropriate degree of
autonomy (e.g. from the wider University) for decision
making on issues such as strategic development
and resourcing with respect to educational provision
and management of educational resources;
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(vi) an effective and integrated organisation for the
management of activities, with a significant degree of
autonomy and control over its future; (vii) identified its target population and have a developed
sense of the market for its products including means of
regular access to employer opinion; and
(viii)a clearly articulated and effective policy with regards
to its relations with the organisational and managerial
world, including a well-developed customer
orientation.
2.2
The institution should be able to demonstrate satisfactory
outcomes from its own internal and national audit
processes. The institution should provide evidence that it
has responded successfully to any recommendations
resulting from these processes.
2.3
Institutions should demonstrate that the level of overall
resourcing is appropriate for postgraduate/post-experience
students. Library, computing and research facilities
must be of a high standard and should be accessible,
at least electronically, out of normal working hours and at
weekends. Access to industry-standard hardware and
software is important, as is the availability of business
databases and literature search facilities.
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FACULTY
3.1
The institution offering an accredited programme must be
able to provide relevant evidence of the quality of teaching
from within its faculty, and that those teaching on the MBA
are of the highest teaching standards.
3.2
The institution should be able to demonstrate high levels of
quality across its faculty as evidenced by relevant
management research, scholarship and consultancy. The
majority of the MBA teaching team should be actively
involved in all three activities.
3.3
Faculty teaching at MBA level must be appropriately
qualified and credible. Therefore at least 75% of the
institution’s teaching staff should have a relevant
postgraduate degree. It is expected that the majority of
faculty will hold a Doctorate.
3.4 The MBA teaching team should:
(i) be aware of debates at the forefront of knowledge in
the relevant management field;
(ii) be able to relate their subject to other subjects in the
MBA;
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(iii)
have an up-to-date understanding of business practice
gained through, for example, recent managerial
experience, consultancy or executive education so that
teaching can be linked to good practice as well as
theory.
3.5 Research quality should be of a high standard in all areas of
activity and show some evidence of an international
dimension.
3.6
The institution should be able to demonstrate that there
are effective mechanisms by which results from research,
consultancy and contact with the organisational corporate
world are regularly incorporated into the MBA provision.
3.7 The institution should have a well-founded faculty
development policy to ensure that faculty continue to meet
high standards.
3.8
The MBA teaching faculty should be of a size which
can, with regard to the overall supervision and number of
participants, fully resource the provision for which
accreditation is being sought. Due regard will be given to
the following factors:
(i) the need for a critical mass of core staff to administer,
deliver and manage the MBA programme effectively;
(ii) new innovative approaches to delivery and learning
which transcend the traditional concept of the school
and tutor/student interaction.
3.9
The institution should address the issues of collegiality,
availability and integration of staff into the total teaching
and learning environment of the school, including parttime faculty, faculty from another part of the institution,
staff from other institutions and practitioners. All members
of the MBA teaching team, irrespective of origin, should be
subject to the institution’s quality assurance policy.
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PROGRAMME MANAGEMENT & STUDENT ENGAGEMENT
4.1 Mechanisms must exist to ensure adequate feedback and
response to student reactions to course delivery and
content on the MBA.
4.2 There should be clearly defined roles relating to the
academic leadership and administrative responsibilities for
the MBA programmes with individuals identified for each.
4.3 The institution should be able to demonstrate a level and
quality of administrative support appropriate to the size of the MBA provision.
4.4 Facilities should exist to assist in employment for full
time students at the conclusion of their studies, with career
development opportunities available for all students.
4.5 Mechanisms must be in place to ensure that students,
especially international students, receive adequate pastoral
care and support throughout their course of study.
4.6 A well-established and active association of MBA alumni
is expected, which provides tangible networking and
lifelong learning opportunities for its members.
4.7 Where course members have been away from formal
education for an extended period of time, explicit help in
learning skills should be provided.
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STUDENTS
5.1
The MBA is defined as a career development generalist programme for those who have significant post-graduation
work experience on which the learning process should
explicitly build.
5.2
There should be an expectation on the part of the
provider that the student will be able to fulfil the objectives
of the programme and achieve the standard required
for the award. Evidence will be required to show rigour in
procedures and standards for admission, for example,
standard testing and interviewing. If interviews are not
used, evidence that applicants’ statements have been
verified will be required. 5.3 The MBA is intended for a variety of able candidates,
primarily:
(i) graduates from any discipline; and/or,
holders of an equivalent professional qualification.
(ii) Exceptionally, mature and experienced managers with
the potential to meet the learning requirements of the
MBA may also be considered as candidates.
5.4
Students are expected to have a minimum of three years
appropriate and relevant postgraduate work experience
upon entry and the student body as a whole should average
at least five years of such experience.
5.5
Evidence of language proficiency will be required. Where
teaching is in English, evaluation of students for whom
English is not a first language by IELTS, TOEFL or interview
will be expected.
admission with advanced standing and exemptions will
not be accepted for accredited full-time MBA programmes
and, exceptionally, should be limited to no more than
20 percent of the course of study for other modes of
delivery. Additionally, no more than 20 percent of a student
cohort may be admitted with credit, advanced standing and
exemptions.
5.7
The institution’s policy with regard to admission with credit,
admission with advanced standing and exemptions should
be made explicit. The criteria and processes used must
be rigorous and reliable. Where credit, advanced standing
and exemptions are awarded, the institution must be able
to demonstrate that any learning undertaken prior to
enrolment on an MBA programme, either within the
institution or elsewhere, is at Masters level and is
comparable to that offered to students admitted directly
onto the programme. Any prior learning for which credit,
advanced standing and exemptions are awarded must have
been acquired no later than five years before enrolment to
an MBA programme.
5.8
In order to promote mutual learning among peers, students should be selected on the basis of the contribution they
may be expected to make as well as the benefit they may
gain. Given the important role members of the cohort
play in enriching the learning process, student diversity
across a range of metrics is essential. To achieve adequate
group interaction, the expected intake on an accredited
programme would be a cohort size (distinct learning group)
of at least 20. Due regard will be given to the following
factors: the need for a critical mass of participants;
geographical factors which may serve to constrain a local
market; and, the combination of cohorts from different
modes of delivery, whilst maintaining overall cohort
cohesion and integrity.
5.9
In order to ensure programme diversity and sustainability,
individual cohorts should be internationally diverse and
balanced where possible. This is especially important for
full-time programmes where the international experience
offered by the MBA is an industry standard.
5.10Single Company and Consortia MBA programmes may be
accredited provided that final decisions on admissions,
student progress, curriculum, assessment and award of the
MBA remain under the control of the institution. Since a
major source of learning flows from the interaction
between managers from a variety of backgrounds, it is
essential that the profile of the student cohort conforms to
criterion 5.8.
5.6 In order to maintain cohesion and integrity of the student
cohort and the programme, admission with credit,
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PURPOSE AND OUTCOMES
6.1
The MBA is a career development generalist degree
for those with significant relevant work experience,
which contributes to learning. The emphasis is on
leadership through strategic management with a significant
practical and professional orientation to the programme of
study.
(iii)
know and understand organisations and their
stakeholders, the external context in which they
operate and how they are managed from a sustainable
and long term perspective;
(iv)
(v)
integrate their learning from a comprehensive range
of managerial subject areas to understand and address
complex situations holistically;
6.2 The purpose of an MBA is to:
(i) enhance and develop previous relevant experience in
business and management;
(ii) prepare students for leadership and transformational
roles in business;
(iii) develop strategic thinking, innovation and
entrepreneurial skills;
(iv) develop an understanding and provide experience of
global business issues, including the potential
contribution that business can make to solving these
issues;
(v) develop the ability to apply previous and newly
acquired knowledge and experience to complex
business issues in a range of contexts;
(vi) develop knowledge, at an advanced level, of
organisations, their management and the environment
in which they operate;
(vii) develop an understanding of responsible risk
management and sustainable value creation on the
basis of the environmental, social and governance
impacts of business;
(viii)develop interpersonal and group-working skills;
(ix) encourage lifelong learning and personal development.
6.3
Each individual MBA programme should have clearly stated
aims, objectives and learning outcomes. Learning outcomes
should be clear and explicit in describing what participants
are expected to know and be able to do as a result of the
programme. They should make clear the ways in which
the institution recognises and assesses intellectual,
analytical, personal and enterprise qualities as well as the
specific knowledge developed by the programme.
6.4 In terms of knowledge and understanding, an MBA
graduate will be able to:
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(ii) integrate new knowledge with previous learning and
experiences;
be able to analyse, synthesise and solve complex
unstructured business problems.
6.5 Employers can expect graduates, over time, to:
(i) apply consistently in-depth knowledge and
understanding, based on previous work experience and
advanced study, to complex business situations;
(ii) apply strategic management skills at a senior level in
changing business environments;
(iii) transform organisations through strategic leadership,
intellectual rigour and professional ethical values;
(iv) understand and have experience of global issues;
(v)
(vi)
lead and develop others in an organisational context;
have well-developed interpersonal skills including the
ability to communicate effectively and to interact with
groups and individuals at all levels;
(vii) make sound judgements with incomplete data and
communicate conclusions clearly to a range of
audiences;
(viii)be self-directed and able to act autonomously in
planning and implementing projects;
(ix) take responsibility for continuing to develop their
knowledge and skills.
6.6
(i) understand the concept of leadership through strategic management;
When assessing the overall quality of the programme,
consideration will be given to the value added by the MBA
programme to work experience and career development.
The views and experiences of appropriate alumni,
employers and sponsors will also be sought. The transfer
of learning from the programme to the place of work will
be evaluated, and evidence that these outcomes are being
met by graduates in the workplace is expected.
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CURRICULUM
(iii) organisation theory, behaviour, HRM issues and
interpersonal communications;
7.1
An MBA is Masters-level programme of study and is
postgraduate in nature. Institutions should be able to
demonstrate that Masters-level learning is achieved across
the programme.
(iv) the processes and problems of general management at
the operational and strategic level;
(v) Macro and micro economics;
Nature and design
(vi) business research methods and consultancy skills;
7.2
The nature of an MBA programme is based on the
assumption of significant relevant previous experience
of the participants. The MBA is designed for those who
may be expected in time to make a significant contribution
to managing at a strategic level in their organisation. The
MBA is a programme of study aimed at the preparation for
strategic leadership and transformational roles in
organisations. It should offer both a rigorous and
intellectually demanding programme of study and the
opportunity for personal development.
(vii) the impact of environmental forces on organisations,
including: legal systems; demographics; ethical, social,
and technological change issues;
(viii)explicit coverage of the ability to respond to and
manage change;
(ix) business policy and strategy;
(x) leadership and entrepreneurship;
7.3
The design and content of the programme should embrace
a range of relevant theory firmly linked to the practical
world of sustainable leadership, business and management.
Employing organisations should contribute directly to the
development of the programme. 7.4
While all programmes should reflect the general character
of the MBA, individual courses may be designed to meet
the needs of a specific business function or sector. While it
is encouraged that a programme includes some
specialisation appropriate to the institution’s resources and
strengths, the MBA should retain its generalist, broad
character.
Knowledge, Understanding and Skills
7.5
An MBA programme should encompass relevant knowledge
and understanding of organisations, the external context
in which they operate, their stakeholders and how they are
managed. Care should be taken to ensure that the academic
programme is rigorous while properly related to the
practical world of management. While a specific module
is not expected for each of the below, all programmes
should demonstrate that students acquire a significant
understanding of the major areas of knowledge which
underpin general management, including:
(i)
the concepts, processes and institutions in the production and marketing of goods and/or services and
the financing of business enterprise or other forms of
organisation;
(ii) the concepts and applications of accounting, of
quantitative methods, and management information
systems including IT applications;
(xi) an understanding of the impact of sustainability, ethics
and risk management on business decisions and
performance;
(xii) further contemporary and pervasive issues, such as
creativity, enterprise, innovation, e-commerce,
knowledge management, and globalisation;
(xiii)the international dimension to the above, including
political risk and contemporary processes of
regionalisation, emerging markets, global governance
and globalisation.
7.6
To ensure an international dimension to the programme,
the curriculum should take care to incorporate an
understanding of management styles and practices from
different regions and cultures, and to include diversity in
examples and / or case studies. Examples should encompass
a range from prevalent international business standards to
local norms and expectations.
7.7
An MBA should contain substantial evidence of programme
integration, usually undertaken primarily as an in-company
project, which demonstrates each individual student’s
ability to integrate the individual core subjects. Where
included, such a project should be practically based and
allow candidates to demonstrate an understanding of
theory and its application at Masters level. Although
co-operation of an employing organisation is encouraged,
and a joint supervisor from the employer may be
appointed. Where such co-operation is not available, the
institution should provide alternative means for the student
to carry out a practically based project. The expectations,
learning outcomes and assessment criteria should be made 7
explicit. Research and consultancy skills training should be
provided in preparation for the above. Any other methods
of integration are acceptable but evidence that such
methods are effective and substantial is expected.
7.8
Evidence will be sought that programme design and review
has incorporated an understanding of the balance between
theory and practice, and between functional and
integrative teaching.
7.9
The programme must also be explicit about the means by
which transferable and ‘soft’ management skills are
developed throughout the programme. Such skills
include, but are not restricted to: ability to manage change;
communication; leadership; teamwork; dealing with
ambiguity; negotiation; problem solving; critical thinking;
values.
7.10The general educational aims of the programme should be
to develop cognitive, critical, intellectual and relevant
personal and interpersonal skills at leadership level. It
is important that participants are able to apply the concepts
learned during the programme.
Teaching, Learning and Assessment
7.11The applied nature of much of the MBA demands a range
of teaching and learning methods. These methods include
lectures, seminars, workshops, action learning, reading,
individual and group projects, distance learning, computer
based training and in-company training whether formal
courses or in-company learning with a mentor. Co
operation of employers is to be encouraged and it is
expected that much of the learning will be practically
based.
7.12Much of the learning in an MBA is expected to take place
between members of the learning group, and opportunities
for collaborative learning should be provided. Such
interaction can be face-to-face and/or through the
application of a virtual learning environment, as long
as this encourages both synchronous and asynchronous
interaction.
7.13The key purpose of student assessment is to enable students
to demonstrate that they have met the objectives and
achieved the learning outcomes of the programme at
the standard required for the award of an MBA degree. The
assessment scheme should have detailed criteria and
specify the range and relative weights of the various
assessment methods used. The assessment scheme should
be comprehensive and consistent across the various subject
areas, and underpinned by a suitable assessment strategy.
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7.14The assessment scheme should reflect the particular aims
and characteristics of the course. Individual examinations
should play a balanced role in any such scheme since
they are seen as testing intellectual rigour under controlled
conditions. While innovation in assessment methods
is welcomed, particularly where new teaching and learning
methods are being used, detailed evaluation by the school
of such innovations will also be looked for.
7.15Assessment should also be used to provide feedback to
students and assist in the subsequent individual and group
learning.
7.16Evidence is required that steps are taken to ensure that the
individual’s own work is being assessed, and that
assessment standards are consistent.
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MODE AND DURATION
Duration
8.1
The duration of an MBA programme is expected to be
equivalent to at least one year’s full time study and at
least two years’ part-time study (or 90 ECTS credits
equivalent). More flexible modes of delivery should be
expected to take between two to three years to complete,
with a clear and managed progression rate and an upper limit in exceptional circumstances of not more than seven
years.
8.2
An MBA programme will correspond to the equivalent of at
least 1 800 hours learning effort. Additionally, the total
number of contact hours is expected to be not less than 500
hours. Contact hours are defined as compulsory, scheduled
face-to-face contact between the learning group and
faculty.
Delivery Mode
8.3
Programmes may be full-time, part-time, distance/open
learning or multi-mode (blended). Innovative approaches
to design and delivery are welcomed if they enhance
learning opportunities and can maintain the coherence
and integrity of the course, while meeting the general
standards outlined in this document. It is expected that
cohort integration is achieved through programme and
delivery design even on the most flexible of delivery modes.
8.4 It is expected that all programmes will contain some
element of support through an online platform which
students can access off-campus and out-of-hours.
8.5
Where programmes are designed on a modular basis, the
design should, given the importance of a multi-disciplinary approach to management problems, clearly provide means
by which the integration of individual subjects is achieved.
(viii) a transparent system to regularly monitor student
interaction and progression on the programme, with
effective means to remedy any issues that arise as a
result of this monitoring;
8.6
Some programmes may deliver a significant part of the
learning experience at a distance, ranging along a spectrum
from offering one section or module of the course online,
to ‘blended learning’, to ‘distance learning’ in its purest
sense. In such cases, it is expected that all standards
outlined in this document will continue to be met.
Programmes delivered by such modes must ensure that
students receive an equivalent learning experience to that
of students studying on a face-to-face basis. Accreditation
will therefore focus particularly on examining evidence that
there is:
(ix) a platform to provide, encourage and monitor
peer group/cohort interaction, both synchronously
and asynchronously, across key elements of the course.
This should provide an effective means for group work
as well as an opportunity for networking and peer
support;
(i) a physical base from which the programme operates,
which provides an effective logistical and
administrative infrastructure that ensures that all
participants engage with the programme as intended,
that monitors this engagement, and that consistency is
maintained year on year. This should also extend to
include local teaching and support facilities where
appropriate;
(ii) a specifically designed quality assurance system to
ensure the continued quality and currency of all staff,
systems and teaching materials, with a systematic
process of periodic quality review;
(x) a robust and secure assessment system, which guards
against plagiarism, ensures the correct identity
of submitted work, and allows for appropriate feedback
to students, both formative and summative;
(xi) a structured, effective and interactive learning platform
underpinned by both synchronous and asynchronous
interaction between the learning group and faculty/
tutors. The minimum requirement for the face-to-face
element on a distance learning programme is
expected to be 120 hours, which can be partly
substituted by demonstrably effective technologies that
allow for synchronous interaction between the student
cohort and faculty. For other blended modes of
delivery, the number of contact hours is expected to be
considerably higher than 120, though it may be less
than 500. The balance of 500 contact hours must be
mandatory interactive student-faculty learning,
although this can be delivered asynchronously.
(iii) remote out-of-hours access for all students to the
necessary study materials, library resources and
software, with dedicated technical support available
and readily accessible;
(iv) consistent academic leadership which provides
cohesion for the programme underpinned by
appropriate research and scholarly activity, and with
responsibility for the review of course content, delivery
and academic standards;
(v) a tailored system of programme management and
support, ensuring transparent coordination and regular
communication between the various departments
involved in the delivery of the programme;
(vi) a customised system for regular and responsive student
engagement with the institution, to include access to
academic and support staff, student feedback and
pastoral care;
(vii) a means to ensure that students studying at a distance
receive appropriate career development opportunities,
in addition to evidence that the development of
transferable skills are addressed explicitly;
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Association of Masters in Business Administration
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Phone +44 (0)20 7246 2686
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www.mbaworld.com
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